The Gift
by miss-buttercup
Summary: Godric leaves Eric a gift of tremendous value. Now Eric must choose between being with Sookie and being King. Chapter 8 is up. Sookie has a lot more to say about the blood bonding situation.
1. Chapter 1

The Gift

Chapter 1

"Eric, do you know that woman?" asked Sookie.

Eric followed Sookie's gaze, but no one stood out in the crowded bar. It was the usual Saturday night crowd at Fangtasia: Goth fangbangers, vamp wannabes, and even a few women who had taken to imitating Sookie's peaches and cream style hoping to catch Eric's eye. "Which woman?" he asked.

"The one in the white tank top who's walking toward the far end of the bar," Sookie whispered.

It took him a moment to locate the woman in the crowd, and when he did, he didn't see what the fuss was about. The woman was only remarkable in the sense that there was absolutely nothing remarkable about her. She was of average height and average build. Her straight brown hair was secured in a ponytail at the nape of her neck and she wore a simple white tank top and olive cargo pants. If Sookie hadn't pointed her out, the woman would have faded completely into the background.

He winked at Sookie. "Have you detected a disturbance in the force? Come over to the dark side, Sookie Stackhouse," he teased, imitating Darth Vader.

Sookie heaved an exasperated sigh. He'd been impossible since they watched the Star Wars DVD. At least he didn't wasn't doing his Wookie imitation anymore. "Will you be serious for a minute? There's something not right about her."

Eric immediately lost his sense of humor, but maintained an unconcerned appearance. "What do you hear?"

"I'm not sure," said Sookie. She cut through all of the mental static in the bar and focused on the woman's thoughts. The woman was a clear projector and Sookie was able to read her quite easily. The woman was acutely aware of Eric's location, and the location of the exits. She used the reflection in the mirror above the bar to scan behind the bar for any weapons the bartender might have. The woman was now searching the room to determine Pam's location. She was momentarily stymied and then looked at the mirror again and smiled.

Sookie pulled on Eric's sleeve. "Is that a two-way mirror, and is Pam behind it?"

"How did you know that?" Eric asked warily.

"How did _she_ know that, is the question," answered Sookie. "I think she's casing the place!"

Eric studied the woman again, this time suspiciously. The tight tank top would make it more difficult to grab on to her. The cargo pants had many pockets to conceal weapons. And the boots – how on earth did he miss the boots? Her cargo pants were tucked into a pair of flat suede boots that had crepe soles. They were no fashion statement. They were the footwear of choice for people who wanted to move quickly and silently. They also concealed a small silver dagger.

_A drainer. _

Eric stared intently at the mirror and in the space of a heartbeat Pam was standing next to the intruder. "Hello, Sunshine," she drawled. "It's your lucky night…or not. The Master has requested your presence."

"Thank you," the woman answered politely. She proceeded directly to Eric's booth without waiting to be escorted. Pam followed right on her heels. The woman smiled sweetly at Sookie and bowed her head reverentially to Eric. "Good evening, Sheriff."

Eric exchanged a significant look with Pam and then turned his attention back to the stranger. "What brings you to Fangtasia, Miss…I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name."

"I didn't throw it," she answered, not unkindly. "My name is Hope. I'm going to be your new Captain of Security."

Eric raised an eyebrow and then laughed. "I'm sorry, we don't have any openings right now, but if you fill out an application and give it to the bartender, we'll keep it on file for six months."

The woman, Hope, smiled at his sarcasm. "You're witty. Nonetheless, you will hire me tomorrow evening to be your Captain of Security. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have much to do." She bowed her head to Eric once again took a step back. Pam blocked her retreat.

"The Master hasn't released you."

"He's not my master. Not yet." Hope paused, as if waiting for something to happen, and then something did. There was a loud bang at the end of the bar. The barstools blew apart under two servicemen from the Air Force base, sending pilots and drinks crashing to the floor.

It was an obvious diversion. When Eric and Pam turned their attention back to Hope, she was gone. Eric snarled wordlessly at Pam and the bartender. The bartender immediately went to the end of the bar to determine what happened and Pam pursued Hope.

A few moments later the bartender approached the table with some bits of wire in his hand and a twisted metal bar. "It was two small C-4 charges. Noisy, but not very powerful. They just mangled the back legs on the barstools. No one was injured." The bartender sighed with disappointment.

Pam stalked back into the bar, angry as a wet cat. "She's gone, which is not humanly possible. She must have a vampire accomplice."

"That's one theory," said Eric. "Sweep the bar and make sure she actually left."

Eric sat back and digested the situation as Pam and the bartender went about their work. The patrons resumed their activities as if nothing had ever happened. He turned to Sookie. "What are your thoughts?"

"She doesn't mean you any harm. She likes you. She honestly believes that she is going to work for you."

"So she's insane."

"That's one theory." Sookie nestled under his arm. "Tomorrow night could be interesting."

Eric kissed the top of her head. "Indeed."


	2. Chapter 2

Hope watched Pam search for her from the roof of the Toys-R-Us next to Fangtasia. Vampires would cover the ground for miles when hunting for a human, but rarely ever thought to look _up_. She'd asked Godric about that tendency once. He laughed and asked her "Does the wolf search the sky for rabbits?"

With a primal growl, Pam gave up her search and stalked back into Fangtasia. Hope checked her watch - 1:00A.M – everything was proceeding according to plan. She climbed down from the roof and walked four blocks to the Circle K where her black BMW motorcycle was parked. She stopped to buy a bottle of Dr. Pepper and a bag of peanut M&Ms for the road before kicking the bike into gear and heading for Bon Temps.

* * *

Bill Compton pulled into his driveway after making a trip to the all-night grocer. His shopping list was simple – one case of True Blood O negative, and a six pack of Fresca (in case human guests dropped by). It was a fortuitous purchase because much to his surprise, a guest was waiting for him. "May I help you?" he asked the woman who had made herself at home on his porch steps.

The woman screwed the cap back on her Dr. Pepper and smiled. "My name is Hope, and you're William Compton. I recognize you from your picture in that clever directory of yours."

"That database is for vampires only," he replied, with a tone of warning. "How did you get it and why are you here?"

"Stand down, Mr. Compton. I'm a friend of the fang. To answer your questions, The King of Texas gave me access to your database, and I'm here to see Miss Stackhouse. She wasn't at her home, so I thought she might be here."

Bill's eyes narrowed and his fangs dropped. "What does the King of Texas want with Sookie?"

"Retract. Your. Fangs." Hope spoke slowly and dangerously. She was clearly a woman who was used to giving orders and having them followed. Bill did not comply. She made a careful assessment of the man in front of her and told him what she knew would be a convincing lie. "I have business in Shreveport. While I was in the neighborhood, I wanted to meet Miss Stackhouse to thank her. She…" Hope took a breath and continued. "She stood with my beloved when he met the sun. I'm grateful that he didn't go to his final death alone."

Bill's fangs disappeared. "You belonged to Godric?"

"Yes, I did," she sighed wistfully. At least that much was true.

"He was a great vampire. I'm sorry for your loss."

"Yes, he was. Thank you."

They stood in awkward silence as Bill engaged in an internal struggle between southern propriety and protectiveness. There was something about the encounter that was not quite right. Protectiveness won. "Pardon my rudeness, but how can I know that you are who you say you are? How do I know that this isn't some scheme concocted by the Fellowship of the Sun to get to Sookie?

"Don't apologize for being smart," Hope answered with a smile. "Security is my specialty. I would have been disappointed if you had taken me at my word. May I use your cell phone?"

Bill hesitated, but then put his phone in her hand. She took a picture of herself and then composed a picture message with the text 'Do you know this woman?' She handed the phone back to Bill. "Send that message to Stan or Isabel in Dallas."

He had to admit. She was clever. With a few finger taps he sent the message on its way. Less than thirty seconds passed before his phone was ringing. It was the King of Texas.

"Bill Compton?"

"Yes, sir."

"Why do you want to know about the woman in the picture?" The king sounded more imperious than he did the last time Bill saw him. Of course, the last time Bill saw Stan, he wasn't the King of Texas.

"She's sitting on my front porch claiming that she belonged to Godric. She wants to talk to Sookie, and I'd like to make sure that she is who she says she is before I allow that to happen."

"Put her on the phone."

Bill handed the phone to Hope, and after a few moments of quiet and intense conversation that he couldn't quite make out, Hope handed the phone back to him.

"I will vouch that the woman I just spoke to is Hope Christiansen. She belonged to Godric until his final death. I have allowed her to guard my resting place and would do so again without hesitation."

"Thank you," Bill replied and hung up the phone. The King of Texas trusted her with the location of his daytime rest. There was no higher expression of trust in the vampire world. He turned to Hope. "It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Christiansen."

"Likewise, Mr. Compton."

"Would you like to come inside? I don't get many human guests, so I don't have much to offer in the way of refreshment." He held up the six pack of Fresca apologetically.

Hope laughed and took the pack of peanut M&Ms out of her pocket. "I've spent most of my life with vampires. I've learned to pack my own."

"Please, sit down." Bill showed her into his parlor. "I'm not expecting Sookie tonight, but you can probably reach her at her home tomorrow morning. I can tell you this. She considered it an honor to be with Godric at the end. She said his passing was very peaceful."

"Thank you for telling me that," Hope said quietly. "It helps to know he didn't suffer."

Bill opened his mouth to say something and then closed it again.

"You're wondering why I wasn't with him, but you're too polite to ask." Hope shrugged. "It's what I would want to know if I were you."

"Why weren't you with him?" Bill asked gently.

"Godric and I disagreed about his decision to meet the sun. He felt very strongly that he needed to be a willing sacrifice, but he could not make me understand why. He said it would become clear to me as events unfolded, but that I would just have to trust him. He presented himself to Reverend Newlin, and then things sort of fell apart. Godric didn't want to be rescued. He didn't want bloodshed.

We were together briefly back at the nest after the rescue. His resolve to meet the sun was beginning to waiver, and he sent me away. He was afraid he wouldn't be able to go through with it if I was there. I obeyed, but I wake up every single day wishing I hadn't."

"I'm very sorry. How long had you and Godric been companions?"

"Since 1935."

Forgetting himself, Bill touched her throat, feeling her strong, steady pulse and the warmth of her skin. He watched her chest rise and fall with every breath. How could this be? She cleared her throat and he remembered his manners. "Pardon me, ma'am," he said, pulling his hand away. "I don't understand. You're not vampire, and yet you don't look a day over thir—"

Hope arched a dangerous eyebrow.

"—twenty-five," Bill quickly corrected.

"Godric and I exchanged blood almost everyday. He always gave more than he took. I am not vampire, but I am nearly as strong and as fast as one. I age, but slowly. I have the blood of a very old, very powerful vampire coursing through my veins."

"Some people claim that Godric was two thousand years old," said Bill. "Is that true?"

Hope shook her head. "At the time of his final death, he was almost seven thousand years old."

Bill gave the appearance of a man who had been hit in the head with two by four. "But…that would mean…"

"His maker was The First One." Hope finished his sentence for him.

Bill sat absolutely still for a moment, staring at her in astonished silence. "Truly?" he finally asked.

"Oh, yes."

"Did he tell you the story of his creation? I would very much like to hear it if he did."

"He did tell me. It's a long, fascinating story, best told at sundown, over whiskey…or fresh blood, in your case." Hope stood up. "But it's late – by human standards – and I have a job to do tomorrow."

Ever the gentleman, Bill was on his feet the moment she was. He escorted her to the door. "That sounds like a fine evening. Would you do me the honor of joining me for dinner tomorrow night and sharing your story?"

"I have a feeling that Sheriff Northman is going to be keeping us all busy tomorrow night, but I'd be delighted to join you the night after."

"What's happening, tomorrow night?" asked Bill.

"I can't tell you. It will spoil the surprise. Au revoir!

* * *

_Author's note: This is all set up for the main plot. Fear not, plenty of good Eric and Sookie drama coming up soon! Also, most of the plot is based on the books with one BIG exception. The character of Godric is based on the TV show Godric, whom I found fascinating, and not the Godric in the books._


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Hope sat on the side of Eric's bed, counting down the minutes until sunset. The big Swede's eyes fluttered and she smiled. "Rise and shine, morning glory."

"Helig skit! Vad den fuck er du gör här?" Eric swore as he launched himself at the fool who had dared to intrude upon his resting place. She moved to the side at the last minute, sending him head-first into a cinderblock wall. The wall sustained more damage than Eric.

"This is America, big guy. Speak English."

He shook out the cobwebs and made a second run. This time he was ready for her surprising speed. He anticipated her next move, caught her by the neck with both hands and flung her to the bed. In a fraction of a second he was straddling her and looking down at her with fangs extended. "Aren't you just the sweetest thing, bringing me breakfast in bed."

"You…wish..." She choked out as his hands closed around his throat. She grabbed him by the ears and drove her forehead into his nose. His blood sprayed all over her face and the sheets.

"Ya bok ba doze!"

"What?" Hope growled in agitation and bucked him off of her.

"Ya bok ba doze!" Eric pinched the bridge of his nose to encourage the bones to knit back together faster. The moment they healed, he made a fist and punched her right in the jaw. "You broke my nose, bitch!"

Hope spit out a mouthful of blood, and shoved Eric off the bed. His ass hit the floor with a heavy thud. "Well, what did you expect?" she snarled. She pressed the pad of her thumb against her back molars. "Damn it! Now I've got a loose tooth. Since Godric's dead, I'm going to have to go to a _dentist_ to get it fixed, you asshole." She spat out the word 'dentist' in a tone usually reserved for imps from hell. "And I am NOT going to continue this fight until you put on pants."

"Don't move a muscle." Eric grabbed a pair of jeans and pulled them on without taking his eyes off the intruder (and without putting on any underwear). "How do you know Godric?"

"I belonged to him until…" She heaved a heavy sigh and all of the fight went out of her.

"Yeah. Until." Eric sat heavily on the corner of the bed. "Why are we fighting?"

"You started it. All I did was say good morning…evening…whatever."

"Why are you here?"

"Godric sent me. He told me to expose any deficiencies in your security and give you this." She reached over the side of the bed and rummaged through her knapsack. She pulled out a thick envelope and handed it to Eric. "Then I'm supposed to wait for further instructions from you."

"You certainly performed your first duty admirably," Eric called from the bathroom, where he had gone to wash the blood off his face. "How did you find my resting place and get through my day guards?"

"You're a creature of habit," Hope said with a shrug. "Tracking you was easy. As for the guards, they're human and only effective against humans. They're no match for supes. Oh, and for what it's worth, your home isn't sufficiently fireproof. You wouldn't want to end up barbequed like those three vamps in Bon Temps, would you?"

Eric shuddered at the thought of fire. "What do you suggest?"

"Asbestos. It's dangerous for humans, but lifesaving for vampires. Seal off this room and line it with asbestos. And while you're at it, ditch the bed and sleep in a fireproof steel coffin."

"Bed's aren't just for sleeping in, darling." He gave her a carnivorous smile and tossed her a wet washcloth. As she began wiping his blood off her face he added, "You know, if you take some of that and rub it on your tooth it will heal."

"And then you'll know my mind and be able to track me. You must think I'm incredibly stupid. I'll take my chances with the dentist."

"You can't blame a guy for trying."

"You should check your Blackberry," said Hope, pushing past him to use the bathroom. "I imagine you have about two dozen missed calls."

Eric checked his phone, and sure enough, it had been a busy evening. Just about every vampire who had pledged fealty to him had called or texted. After reading the first few messages it was clear that they had all woken up to find a note on their chest, which read:

_I didn't stake you, but I could have._

His phone rang as he was reading, and he pushed the button to answer. "Hello, Bill. How can I help you?...You received a note…I see…You think you know who did it…uh huh…uh huh…Okay, just stop." Eric called into the bathroom to Hope, "It appears you've had a busy day."

He returned to his conversation with Bill, adopting his 'This Is Your Sheriff Speaking' tone of voice. "Bill, that note is from my new Captain of Security. The fact that you received a note from her indicates that you have some serious deficiencies that need to be addressed. She's right here. Would you like to discuss your shortcomings with her?"

Hope took the phone from Eric's hand. "Mr. Compton. How good to speak with you again. How are you this morning?" Bill recognized her voice immediately.

"Angry," he answered, flatly. "How did you know where I sleep?"

"Dust."

"Dust?"

"Um humm. There's no getting away from dust in Louisiana in the summer. If you look closely enough, you can see traffic patterns on the floor where the dust is disturbed. You had four paths through the dust in your foyer: one into your parlor, one into your dining room, one up the stairs, and one directly into a wall. It wasn't difficult from there."

"I see." He followed his statement with an aggressive silence.

"Oh, and I'll tell you the same think I told Eric." She flashed Eric a cheeky grin. "You're entirely too vulnerable to fire. Your electric system is ancient. One bad wire and you'd be a Bill-kabob. I don't know why y'all are getting away from coffins. They're comfortable, light-tight, and can be made fireproof. You should think about investing in one."

"I see. I'll take it under advisement." More aggressive silence.

"Oh dear, you're still angry with me, aren't you."

After a long pause, Bill answered, "You're very good at what you do. You really played me for a fool. Just tell me this, how much of our discussion last night was a lie?"

"I was in your home under false pretenses, and the part about being there to see Sookie to thank her was a lie, but everything else was true. I swear it on Godric's soul."

"Vampires don't have souls," said Bill.

"I don't believe that, Mr. Compton," Hope answered quietly. "Are we still on for tomorrow night? I believe I owe you a story."

Bill took his time answering. Finally, he said, "Tomorrow night, at sunset." He hung up before she could reply.

She turned to return the phone to Eric and found him deeply engrossed in the letter from Godric. His jaw was clenched and his brow was deeply furrowed in thought. "Is everything all right? You look like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders."

"I do," he answered cryptically. "You have a date with Bill Compton tomorrow night?"

"Not a date. A visit."

"Do not exchange blood with him, or any other vampire. Do you understand?"

"Excuse me?" Hope said, incredulously. "I just met him. What do you take me for?"

"You're human and he can be very persuasive." He took her chin in his hand and turned it to look at where he'd punched her. He dropped his fangs, bit into his wrist and held it to her mouth. "Drink."

"No!" She slapped his wrist away. He grabbed her by the nape of her neck and pushed his bleeding wrist to her lips.

"Did Godric direct you to follow my orders?"

She nodded her head as best she could in his iron grip.

"Then I am ordering you to drink."

She stared aggressively into his eyes as she complied with his wishes. She continued to suck until he pulled his wrist away. "Godric is dead. You belong to me now," Eric said solemnly. She looked from Eric, to the letter, and back to Eric, wondering what Godric had written to prompt Eric's behavior.

Eric tossed his cell phone to her. "Program your number into my phone and put mine in yours, then leave. Tonight I want you to compile a security report for every vampire you visited today and deliver it to them personally. You have my word that none of them will harm you."

"As if they could."

She punched the numbers into the phones and tossed his on the bed and left.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

With Eric taking an unexpected night off, Pam set herself up in the Master's chair on the raised platform in the middle of Fangtasia. She was the queen of all she surveyed – the mistress of her domain – kneel before Pam. A scrawny human in a spiked collar approached and told her that she was the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen. She answered him with a boot heel to the chest.

It was good to be the queen.

She'd spotted Sookie as soon as she walked through the door, and sat regally waiting for the surprisingly tolerable human to approach.

"Where's Eric?" Sookie demanded.

Pam raised an imperious eyebrow. "Oh good, we're dispensing with all of those tedious human pleasantries. He's not here."

"I _know_ that," said Sookie. "And he's not answering his phone. What's going on?"

"We've had drama."

"Does this have anything to do with that crazy woman from last night?" asked Sookie.

"Do you mean our new Captain of Security? Why yes, yes it does." Pam glanced at the door and sighed. "Speak of the devil."

Hope walked directly to Pam and handed her an envelope. "I've been ordered to give this to you."

"And I've been ordered not to kill you," said Pam.

"Good, then our business here is done." Hope turned to leave, and Sookie grabbed her arm. It was Hope's turn to raise an eyebrow.

"What did you do to Eric?" Sookie demanded.

"I broke his nose."

"Why?" Sookie exclaimed.

"Because he was choking me."

"And why would he do that?"

"I don't know." Hope wrenched her arm out of Sookie's grip. "I guess because he's a Viking and that's how they roll." She drew a centering breath. "Listen, I'd love to stay and shoot the shit about hair and clothes and boyfriends, but I've got fifteen more vamps to meet with tonight, and three of them don't want to be found. The last time I saw Eric, he was at home and he was healthy. Take it for what it's worth. Now, if you'll excuse me…" Hope made her way over to the bar, slapped an envelope in front of the bartender, and then left the club.

Pam looked down at Sookie from her temporary throne and smiled. "Like I said, we've had drama."

* * *

One security guard allowed Sookie into the gated community where Eric lived and another much more intimidating security guard let her into his home. She went directly to Eric's bedroom, where the security guard told her he had been all night. She found him dressed only in a pair of jeans, sitting on bloodstained sheets, and holding a letter. He wasn't reading the letter. He appeared to be lost in thought.

She knocked on the open door. "Eric, is everything all right?"

"Sookie." Eric got up and pulled her into the room, shutting the door behind her. He brushed a cool kiss against her lips. "No lover, everything is most definitely not all right. But it's better now that you're here."

Sookie took his face in her hands and gave him what she considered to be a properly passionate kiss. "Tell me what's wrong," she whispered against his lips.

Eric crossed his arms over his chest and stared off at nothing in that utterly still way that only vampires could manage. After a long moment he spoke. "Godric believes that the Slaugh are gathering for an attack at the crossroads in Hot Shot."

"I don't understand. What are – who are the Slaugh?"

Eric struggled with his answer. As if speaking of the Slaugh aloud would conjure them to appear. "They're horrifying, even to vampires. The Slaugh are said to be the reanimated souls of the unforgiven dead, but no one really knows for sure what they are. They ride in hunting parties at night and destroy every thing in their path. Almost no one – human, vampire, Were, or fae – survives an encounter with the Slaugh. The few who have survived went insane."

Sookie swallowed hard. "And Godric believes that these Slaugh are coming to Bon Temps?"

Eric nodded. "There are places on earth – Hot Shot is one of them – where the barrier between the realms is weak and beings can cross over. We call them crossroads. They have always been heavily guarded. Hot Shot is guarded by the werepanthers in this realm and by Seelie fairies in the other."

"But the panthers are a mess. So many of then have trouble shifting and there are hardly any babies," said Sookie

"And the fairies are also weakening," said Eric, completing her thought.

A cold chill went down Sookie's spine. "Can these Slaugh be stopped?

Eric nodded his head slowly. "There's nothing we can do to help the fairies on their side of the portal. Our only option is to destroy the Slaugh as they come through. The werepanthers aren't up to the task. Godric says that the Slaugh will all come through at once and that we need to assemble an army of shifters and vampires to defeat them."

"I'll talk to Alcide," said Sookie. "I'm sure he'll want to help."

"Thank you. That would be helpful. He trusts you more than he trusts me."

"What about Victor Madden and King Filipe? Will they listen? Will they send vampires to Bon Temps?"

Eric shook his head. "This is bigger than Louisiana. We'll need hundreds of vampires to defeat the Slaugh."

"So you'll need the cooperation of all the Kings and Queens."

Eric shook his head again. "No, Godric is right. This isn't business; it's war. There can only be one king."

Sookie stepped back and looked at Eric. The realization of what was about to happen dawned on her. "And he wants you to be that king."

Eric nodded.

"But how does he expect you to do that?" asked Sookie. "Uniting vampires is like herding cats. Not to mention, I think the current vampire royalty will object."

Eric chuckled grimly. "No doubt. Fortunately, Godric also sent me a gift – a weapon of vampire mass destruction if you will – that will bring the other kings and queens in line."

"What kind of weapon?"

"A daywalker - an unusually talented human tracker with the speed and strength of a vampire, who can walk in the sunlight."

"Hope?"

"Yeah." He looked away. "Sook, there's something you need to know about her."

Uh oh. That didn't sound good. Sookie eyed him apprehensively. "What?"

"Do you know how when you take my blood, for a time you feel stronger, quicker…healthier?"

"Yes. Go on." Sookie _really_ didn't like the direction the conversation was taking.

"Well, that's how Hope was created, except that Godric was much older than me and they exchanged blood almost everyday. So, she's _a lot _healthier, if you get my drift."

"Why didn't she turn vampire?"

"I don't know. Godric had a knowledge I lack."

"So they were blood bonded," Sookie clarified.

"Yeah. Big time."

"What happens now that he's dead?" asked Sookie, knowing that she wasn't going to like the answer.

"She'll fade, and eventually die unless she establishes a new blood bond with another vampire."

"And?" He wouldn't be staring at his feet unless there was more to the story.

"And as the only vampire Godric ever created, the blood bond has to be with me." There. He'd said it. Now he braced for hurricane Sookie.

"I knew you were going to say that," said Sookie, shaking her head. "Have the two of you…yet?"

"I ordered her to drink my blood earlier this evening. I have not fed from her yet."

"I see." Sookie's lips formed a tight line. "And did the two of you…"

"No!" He looked at Sookie incredulously. The thought of having sex with Hope had honestly never crossed his mind. Why hadn't it crossed his mind? Odd that. He shrugged it off and turned his attention back to Sookie. "No, I didn't and I don't intend to."

"You say that now, but wait until the bond kicks in." She sat down heavily on the bed, and flopped back against the mattress. "So let me see if I've got this right. She has to drink your blood every day or she goes back to being a plain old human."

"Right."

"And you have to feed from her."

"Only from her," Eric clarified. Sookie's shoulders sagged and her mouth fell open. "Hey, I don't make the rules," he said.

"Why can't Pam do it?"

"She's too young. Hell, I'm not sure I'm old enough to pull this off." He lay down on the bed next to Sookie and pulled her close. "Let's keep our eye on the ball here, Sook. We need her if we're going to win this war. She's no use to us at all if she's human."

Sookie couldn't find any flaw in his logic, but that didn't mean she had to like it. "What happens to our bond now?"

"The bond will fade, but my affection for you will not. I wanted you before the bond was created, and I will want you after it fades. Can you say the same?"

She looked up at him with big blue eyes. "I'm afraid. I'm afraid of all of this."

"Just between you and me," Eric stared at the ceiling. "so am I."

* * *

_Author's note: To answer some of your questions, this story takes place after Rhodes. Eric and Sookie are together and blood bonded. You've probably noticed that I'm pretty flexible with canon when I write. I hope you enjoy the story anyway._

_And now, I have a reached the point in the story where I have a creative decision to make. Shall I keep this story rated Teen, or shall I write a rated Mature version?_


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Bill stood in the middle of his parlor, giving it the once over for the third time.

Room clean? Check.

Clean glasses? Check.

Ice bucket filled? Check.

Woodford Reserve Kentucky bourbon (bottle opened and bit poured down the drain so it didn't look like he dashed out and bought it last night to impress her with his – or rather Sam Merlotte's - awesome knowledge of sipping whiskey.)? Check.

Just as he finished running down his mental checklist, there was a knock at the door. There stood Hope Christiansen, holding a small beer cooler and wearing a dress. A very pretty dress. A dress pretty enough to make him forget that he intended to be angry with her for lying to him during her last visit.

"Hey there," she said in a sunny voice. She held out the beer cooler. "Peace offering?"

"Please, come in." He showed her to the parlor and opened the beer cooler. In it were two units of fresh blood.

"They're samples from a new company I've invested in. The Sanguine Gourmet. They take healthy, willing donors, scare the living daylights out of them with slasher movies, and then draw the blood when it's chock full of tasty stress hormones."

"Really?" said Bill. "That sounds like a million dollar idea."

"Here's hoping," Hope laughed. "Oh, and don't microwave that. Let it sit in a bowl of hot water. The bag will turn blue when the blood reaches 99 degrees. They got that idea from the Coors beer cans."

Bill nodded, clearly impressed. He was even more impressed when it actually worked. He approached the sofa carrying two crystal tumblers – one of warm gourmet blood and the other of fine Kentucky bourbon.

"What shall we drink to?" asked Hope.

Bill thought for a moment, and then said, "Let's drink to Godric's memory. I wish I could have known him better."

"To Godric," said Hope, touching her glass to Bill's. "I wish you could have known him better, too. I think he would have liked you very much." She took a sip of her drink and smiled. "You have good taste in bourbon."

"And you have fine taste in blood. Pardon me." Bill turned his head and retracted his fangs, which had dropped the moment the blood touched his lips. He smiled apologetically. "This is truly outstanding. I think you're going to receive an excellent return on your investment."

"I'm glad you like it." She took another sip of whiskey and looked at him over the top of her glass. "So, are we okay?"

"It's hard to stay angry with you when you were right."

"Does that mean that you've bought yourself a coffin?"

"I have." Bill leaned over and refilled her glass. "But, I didn't invite you here tonight to discuss my 'shortcomings' as our charming sheriff so eloquently puts it. I believe you were going to tell me the story of Godric's making."

"Indeed, I was," said Hope. "But, to understand how Godric was made, we need to know how the first vampire was made, and to understand that, we need to go back to the beginning of all things. Would you like to hear this story from the beginning, Mr. Compton?"

"Yes, ma'am. I would like that very much." He had long since stopped pretending to breathe and gave no further thought to the excellent blood in his glass. His attention was focused entirely in his guest.

"Then we'll start at the beginning," said Hope. "When the Creator of the Realms made his children, he gave them each a gift. To the fairies he gave magic and long life. The Mer received the gift of prophecy. The nymphs and satyrs were given the ability to speak with animals and to bend nature to their will.

"When the creator came to humans, he found that he had no more gifts to give. What a sorry, unfinished creation we were. Our bodies did not have fur to protect us from the elements. We did not have claws or sharp teeth to defend ourselves from predators. Physically, we were ill-equipped to survive a single season in the realm that was created for us. What we did have was an indomitable will to live. The creator admired that and gave the humans a treasure that he had never intended to part with. He laid his hand upon the head of man and gave him a spark of the divine. He gave man an imagination and the ability to create anything except life."

"But humans create life all the time," Bill interrupted.

"We reproduce, but that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about breathing life into an object where none ever existed before. That ability is reserved to the creator alone."

Bill nodded that he understood, and wordlessly urged her to go on.

Hope took a sip of her whiskey and continued. "And create they did. Humans not only survived their realm, they became masters of it. They created clothing, shelter, and the ability farm their own food. They mined the earth for metals and made tools. They domesticated animals. They created calendars, and mathematics, and ships of all kinds. But more than that, they created music, and poetry, and art. The creator was pleased and named humans as his most favored creation.

"The Mer and the woodland folk were satisfied with their lot and didn't concern themselves with humans, but the fairies took notice. Some of the fairies would cross realms to watch the humans in awe and wonder, but other fairies were bitter and jealous. They would cross realms to cause chaos and mayhem. Serious disagreements broke out among the fairies and eventually they split into two major factions – the Seelie Court who looked favorably upon humans, and the Unseelie Court, which wished humans ill."

Bill nodded solemnly and said, "Those divisions exist to this day." He'd experienced the wrath of the Unseelie first hand.

"Yes, they do," Hope agreed. "Do you know what a crossroad is?"

Bill nodded. "In the supernatural world, a crossroad is a place where one can travel between realms."

"Exactly," said Hope. "Now, our story moves to the crossroad called Glastonbury Tor, approximately seven thousand years ago. At that time there was a chieftain named Fargher who was favored with seven healthy sons. Now, seven is a powerfully magic number and it wasn't long before the Unseelie took notice. One by one, each of Fargher's beloved sons fell victim to the Unseelie fairies until only one remained: his youngest son whose name was Finlo.

"Fargher went to the court of the Seelie fairy queen and begged her to protect his son from the Unseelie. The queen took pity on him and agreed to do what she could. And she was successful, in a way. Finlo died, but the Unseelie didn't kill him. He was mauled by a bear. It was just one of those things.

"Fargher was inconsolable. He took Finlo's body to the Seelie queen and begged her to use her fairy magic to bring his son back to life. She tried to explain to him that only the creator of the realms had the power to grant life, but Fargher would have none of it. He cursed her name and took Finlo's body to the Unseelie King. There, he promised to pledge fealty to the Unseelie king, if the king would restore life to his son.

"No one knows what magic the king used, but he told Fargher to bury Finlo in the middle of a stone circle and to have a young woman stand vigil. Fargher hid and watched. That night, at sundown, Finlo emerged from the ground. He raped the woman and drank her blood –

"He was vampire," said Bill.

"No, he was something far worse," said Hope. "That night, from his hiding place in the woods, Fargher watched as Finlo killed every man, woman, and child in a nearby village. When the sun rose, Finlo went back to ground.

"Fargher realized that going to the Unseelie King was a terrible mistake, so went back to the fairy queen and told her what happened. She went to the place where Finlo was resting and laid her hands on the ground. She told Fargher that he owed no fealty to the Unseelie king because the king had not restored life to Finlo. Instead, he gave Finlo a walking death. She explained that all things that sustained life – sun, food, and drink – would be a poison to Finlo. Having no life energy of his own, Finlo would have to draw it from the blood of others.

"Fargher was understandably distraught. He asked the fairy queen how he could kill something that was that was already dead, and she told him to simply dig Finlo up and expose him to the sun. Fargher dropped to his hands and knees, intending to dig, but found that he just didn't have it in him to destroy what was left of his son. He begged the queen to undo the Unseelie magic, but she explained to him that she could not.

"Then the queen did a curious thing. She asked Fargher how much he would be willing to sacrifice for his son. He answered that he would give everything, even his own life. The queen was pleased with his answer and told him that while she couldn't undo the Unseelie magic, she could add some magic of her own. Finlo would still be walking death, but if Fargher was willing to offer himself to his son and allow him to feed from his blood, she could restore to Finlo the ability to love.

"That night, the sun set and Finlo rose again. He attacked Fargher, but this time something different happened. As he drank his father's blood, he realized that this was his father, and that he loved him very much. He stopped feeding before he killed Fargher. Finlo wasn't human by any means, but he wasn't a mindless killer any more."

"He was vampire," said Bill.

"Yes, he was vampire." Hope replied.

"It's an incredible tale," said Bill. "Do you believe it's true?"

Hope shrugged. "It's the story Finlo told Godric, and it's the story Godric told me." She smiled kindly. "Now, it's the story I've told you."

"But, do you _believe_ it?"

Hope paused for thought, and then answered seriously, "Yes, I do. Crossroads are a fact. The division between the fairies is a fact. Humans are the only creatures with an imagination and the ability to create. So yes, I believe that the story is essentially true."

Bill gave her a skeptical look. "I don't think humans are the only beings with an imagination. Vampires can imagine and create."

"No, they can't." Hope placed her hand over his and sighed. "Vampires are hundreds, sometimes thousands of years old. Where are your great philosophers? Your artists? Your scientists? Your writers? There aren't any. Vampires are cunning and intelligent, but they are not creative. Fairies aren't either. Think about it. It's considered miraculous that Niall invented gloves to protect the fairies from iron. Gloves! In the last four thousand years, humans have gone from inventing the wheel to the space shuttle and fairies have invented transparent gloves."

"But they have magic."

"Yes, they do, and humans do not. Just like the story says."

"I still don't believe that vampires are incapable of creativity." There was an uncomfortable edge in Bill's voice.

"Let's try something." Hope rummaged in her bag and pulled out two pens and a spiral notebook. She tore out a sheet of paper for each of them and handed Bill a pen. "Ok, each one of us is going to draw a flower that does not currently exist. The sky's the limit. The more ridiculous the better. The only rule is that it has to be something totally unique. Are you game?"

"Sure." Bill took the pen and stared at the paper for a long moment. He made several false starts, only to discard the ideas as unoriginal. He looked over and saw Hope scribbling furiously. Her flower was certainly ridiculous, but undoubtedly unique. Try as he might, he could not come up with so much as a whisper of a novel idea. He put his pen down and closed his eyes.

Hope took his face in her hands. "It's all right."

"No, it's not."

"Yes, it is. Listen to me, Bill. You have lost something precious, but look at what you've gained! You'll have hundreds, maybe thousands of years of life experiences. You'll be a witness to history. Now that y'all have come out of the coffin, you can even shape history. And I'll tell you what else. If half of the stories I've heard about you and Sookie Stackhouse are true, you've got the ability to love in spades, and that my friend, is enough."

Bill gave an ironic laugh. "Perhaps it would be if Sookie still loved me, but in case you haven't heard, she's with Eric now."

"I did hear, that," said Hope. "I don't understand that relationship at all."

"Well, he is tall, and good looking I suppose, if you go for the Nordic type. He's also very powerful in the vampire community."

"Maybe you should date him," Hope laughed. Bill couldn't help but laugh with her. After a moment the laughter faded and Hope said, "I know what it's like to have someone you love leave you. You miss them so much that there's a hole in you that you don't think anything will ever fill, but at the same time I'm so _angry_…"

"And lonely."

"Yeah, that too." Hope sighed. "I wonder which is worse: having to see your former lover everyday or knowing that you're never going to see them again."

"I don't know." Bill conceded. "I honestly don't know."

"Me neither." She threw back the rest of her bourbon and laid her head on Bill's shoulder. "I know I promised to tell you Godric's story, but I … I just don't want to talk about him right now. Can I tell you another night?

"Of course." He tucked an errant lock of hair behind her ear and smiled. "Scheherazade."

He gently lifted her chin and ghosted the pad of his thumb over her lips. He felt her pulse race under his fingertips and heard her breath hitch. Slowly, he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers – softly at first, and then more urgently as she responded in kind.

"No blood," she breathed into his ear as he trailed kisses down her neck.

Bill groaned in frustration and pressed his body against hers. "Please."

"Can't," Hope replied, wrapping her legs around his hips.

They both jumped as his cell phone vibrated in his front pocket. A moment later, Hope's ring tone sounded from her bag.

"The sheriff is summoning me to Fangtasia," Bill snarled, snapping his phone shut. "Immediately."

"Me too," said Hope, reading a text message on her own phone. "If this is his idea of a joke, I swear, I'm going to stake him."

Bill's lips curled into a decidedly evil grin. "I'll help."

* * *

_Thanks for all of the lovely reviews! One little hint about the future of this plot: Godric told Hope all of these stories for a reason. :)_


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Du er min…min…min…" Sookie didn't know what the words meant, but she sure liked the way they sounded as Eric growled them with each strong thrust. He had tossed her on to the desk and thrown her skirt up the moment she'd walked into his office at Fangtasia. There was a certain desperate quality to the encounter that made it extra exciting.

"Oh, my…oh, my…oh, my…" Her voice rose with her excitement. She was _right there_. She turned her head to the side, exposing her neck for the grand finale. Eric threw his head back with a feral growl and bared his fangs. He made a move to go in for the bite and then hesitated. Sookie felt his entire body shudder with the effort it took to hold himself back. Panting, she looked up at him. "Eric?"

"Lover..." With vampiric speed, his mouth was on hers with a hard, deep, demanding kiss.

Sookie was expecting a bite, and the kiss took her by surprise. Sensing her confusion through their bond, Eric reached down between their bodies, and every thought left her head except the way he made her feel at that moment.

_Right there…right there…right there…_ Sookie held on for dear life. "Eric!"

Eric threw back his head and roared an affirmation in old Swedish. He shuddered and then collapsed on top of her – cool, heavy, and comforting. Sookie wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close as she caught her breath and waited for her heart to slow. As her senses returned to her, she wondered why he didn't bite. "That was…different," she breathed into his ear.

"You didn't enjoy yourself, lover?" Eric asked the question with a cocky half-smile, knowing full well that she had.

"Of course I enjoyed myself," Sookie answered, blushing. "I'm just worried that you didn't. I thought you needed to bite to…you know."

"I prefer to, but I don't _have _to." He toyed with a lock of her hair and then leaned in for a gentle kiss. "I always enjoy myself when I'm with you."

"You're sweet," said Sookie, returning his kiss. She propped herself up to a sitting position and wrapped her legs around his thighs. "I'm concerned about you. You look worried and pale. Well, paler than usual."

"Don't worry about me. I just have a lot on my mind."

"The Godric situation?"

"Yes." Eric kissed the top of her head and then reached down and hiked up his trousers that were pooled around his ankles. "You should go do whatever it is that women do after great sex. We have company coming soon."

Sookie rolled her eyes, hopped off the desk, grabbed her panties off the floor, and went into Eric's private bathroom. It was actually more like her private bathroom since she was the only one who ever used it. "Who's coming?" she called through the partially opened door.

"My war council. You're a member, by the way. My right-hand telepath." He went into the small refrigerator he kept in his office and opened a cold bottle of pop for Sookie, and microwaved a bottle of True Blood for himself. He took one sip, grimaced, and tossed it in the trash. There was no getting around it; he was going to have to feed on real blood, and soon.

"Thank you, darlin'," said Sookie as she came out of the bathroom, fresh as a daisy. She took a long sip from the bottle of pop. "You know I'll do whatever I can to help. Who else is on your council?"

"The usual suspects: you, Pam, Hope, Bill. I asked Sam Merlotte, but I didn't make it a command. I don't know if he'll come. I even said 'please'."

"I do hope that wasn't too painful for you." Sookie's eyes gleamed, mischievously.

"I survived. Barely." He took a brief time out from his dramatic suffering to swat Sookie's behind. "Do you think he'll come? A true shifter could be a great asset."

"I think he'll come because you asked him instead of commanding him," Sookie said, matter-of-factly. "Oh, and by the way, you do know that that commanding stuff only works on vampires, right?"

"That's what you think."

Sookie considered that he probably had a point there. She dropped into the sofa and took another long sip from her pop. "So, Hope's coming."

"Yeah, she's our daywalker." _And I have to eat. _A tingle went through his body signaling that another person with his blood was approaching. He took Sookie by the hand and led her to the door. "I believe our guests have arrived."

"Our guests don't look happy," Sookie observed, shining a strained smile at Hope and Bill from across the crowded club. Why were Bill and Hope arriving together? Intellectually, she knew it shouldn't matter to her, but she had to admit that it did. Eric covered the distance between him and the other couple in three long strides. As usual, the crowd parted like the Red Sea to let him pass.

"Bill! Hope!" Eric grinned broadly. "Why the sour faces? I hope my last minute invitation didn't interrupt anything."

"You know it did," Hope snarled.

Bill looked from Hope to Eric, and back to Hope again. "Pardon me? How would he know that?"

Hope waved off the question as if she were shooing flies. "He made me drink his blood. It's a long story."

"You have a lot of stories, it seems," said Bill, frowning.

Hope heaved a frustrated sigh. "Please don't be like that."

Eric laughed. "I enjoy a good lover's quarrel as much as the next vampire, but I need to speak to Hope alone for a moment. Excuse us, please." He planted a deep kiss on Sookie (mostly for Bill's benefit), and then steered Hope toward his office."

Sookie watched them cross the room and then turned to Bill. "Lover's quarrel?"

"No, we're not lovers. Eric saw to that. But even if he hadn't, I don't love her and she doesn't love me. You're the only woman I love."

"Bill, please, don't." Her feelings for Bill had thawed quite a bit after the Fae war, but she had moved on, and wished he would too.

"You can't be happy about Eric making her drink his blood," said Bill. "What's that all about?"

Just as she opened her mouth to tell him, there was a tremendous crash in Eric's office. Bill was there in a millisecond, with Sookie trailing behind.

Hearing the sounds of a struggle, Bill tried to open the door but it was locked. He lowered his shoulder and tried to force the door in and found that it was built with vampires in mind. "Sookie, get Pam. She'll have a key. Hurry."

"I'm already here," Pam fairly purred. She casually searched her handbag for the key, seemingly oblivious to the crashes and thuds on the other side of the door.

"If you go any slower, she'll be dead," Bill said through gritted teeth.

"Oh, dear, wouldn't that be tragic?" Pam shot Bill a look that made it clear that Hope's death would not be a tragedy at all – at least not to Pam. Bill's eyes narrowed dangerously, and Pam decided that the situation wasn't worth ruining her new silk blouse over. She pulled the key out of her purse. "Found it!"

Bill snatched the key and opened the door. He found Hope on one side of the room bleeding from the neck and cradling a bleeding arm. Even with her injured arm, she was poised to attack. Eric was on the other side of the room, nursing broken ribs and a broken nose. Again. He glared at Hope. "Godric commanded you to feed from me and to allow me to feed from you."

Hope drew herself up to her full height and glared right back. "First, Godric did no such thing, and second, that commanding stuff only works with vampires."

Eric turned to Sookie in utter disbelief. "When I go to ground, do you all meet for lunch and compare notes?"

Sookie could only stand there, blinking like an owl. She didn't know whether to laugh at the absurdity of the situation or scream at the thought of Eric sharing blood with anyone except her.

Eric stalked across the room and took Godric's letter from his desk drawer. He held it out to Hope. "Read it."

Hope sat on the sofa and took the pages out of the envelope with shaking hands and began to read. She barely noticed when Bill sat down beside and began to clean her wounds with a handkerchief moistened with his saliva. "It will stop the bleeding," he explained.

"I know." She passed the pages to Bill as she finished them and he read too.

Hope finished reading and looked at the people assembled in the room. "This is bad. This is _really_ bad."

Bill handed the final page of the letter back to Hope and asked, "Who are the Slaugh?"

"Do you remember what Finlo rose as on his first night?"

"Yes."

"Well, there's an army of them coming to Bon Temps."

Hope glanced down at the letter and then gave Bill a questioning look. In answer, he nodded his head reluctantly. She took a deep breath, stood tall, and held her arm out to Eric.

"Eat."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The King of Dixie

"Everybody leave," said Eric. He carefully avoided looking at Sookie, but his eyes flashed dangerously at everyone else, daring them to argue with him or defy him.

Bill picked up Godric's letter, which Hope had left on the table. "They have a right to know what's going on," he said, "especially Sookie."

Eric glared at Bill, and for one tense moment it seemed like they might tear each other apart, but then Eric dropped his guard. He stared off at nothing and spoke to Bill in a haunted voice. "There's a private lounge in the basement. Pam will show you where it is. Read them the letter. I'll be down shortly."

Bill bowed his head in respect to his sheriff and gestured to Pam to lead the way. Sam Merlotte was approaching the office just as they were leaving. He took one look at their solemn expressions and asked, "Who died?"

The corners of Pam's lips turned up sardonically. "No one…yet."

She showed them into a small, but very tastefully decorated room. Sookie took it all in with more than a little bit of surprise. The room had a decidedly feminine touch. "I've never seen this room before."

"You're welcome here whenever you like," Pam said with a suggestive smile. "This is where I entertain my guests."

"I might just take you up on that," Sookie sulked. Her mind was on what was taking place in Eric's office at that very moment. Now she was going to have to listen to Bill read some bullshit vampire reason why she should be happy about it.

"If everyone would please take a seat, I'll begin," said Bill. Sookie, Sam, and Pam found seats and Bill began to read.

_My beloved child, my most faithful brother, my dearest friend,_

_If you are reading this, I have met the sun. Do not grieve for me. I made this choice freely but not lightly. It is crucial that I pass on to a different realm in order to give you the tools you will need to face the challenges that lay ahead of you. _

_It gives me great sorrow to tell you that another Slaugh war is imminent. The battleground will be the crossroads near Bon Temps. The Slaugh will number in the hundreds._

_I'm sure you remember well the events of the first Slaugh war, when a mere thirty of their number invaded our realm at Glastonbury Tor. We destroyed them, but at a terrible price. Hundreds of human lives were lost along with forty vampires. Three of the seven brethren fell, and you, my brave child, were captured and nearly driven mad. But you survived, and you healed, which makes you one of the greatest vampires I have ever known. Never forget that._

_The Seelie fae are doing what they can to defend the Bon Temps crossroads from their side. They can not stop the Slaugh from crossing, but they can slow them down. You must use this time to gather your army. The Slaugh must be killed at the portal and prevented from retreating to the fairy realm. You will need at least five hundred vampires, along with humans and other supernatural beings to accomplish this task.  
_

_An army of this size can not be raised or governed by a committee of vampire royalty who are motivated by greed and self-interest. If we are to win this war, there can only be one king of the southern territories, and that king must be you._

_You are an old vampire, and you are my vampire. You have the soul of a warrior. That alone gives you an advantage over the current kings and queens, and would give you eventual victory; but we need a swift and relatively bloodless coup. I am sending you a gift that will assure your rapid rise to power._

_The woman delivering this letter to you is my gift. Her name is Hope. She is a human tracker – a daywalker – of unsurpassed skill. She has been my blood bonded mate for seventy five years. I feed only from her, and she drinks only from me. My blood is old – almost the oldest on earth – and this has given her speed and strength that rivals any vampire's. As you can see, it has also extended her life. She is adequate in hand to hand combat with vampires, but lethal with a bow and a blade. _

_There are limitations to her skills. She is not immortal. If she is wounded, she can not heal herself as we can. And most importantly, without my blood her powers will fade. She will weaken, age, and eventually die. She will be human._

_My blood flows in your veins. If you establish an exclusive blood bond with Hope, it will not be as strong as the bond I shared with her, but you should be able to preserve her abilities. Perhaps not indefinitely, but long enough to establish your kingship and defeat the Slaugh. The blood bond must be exclusive, or there is a danger that she will be turned. This must not happen._

_Use her well, my son, but remember, she is precious to me just as you are. Treat her with respect. Also, keep your human and two-natured companions close. They will prove more valuable to you in this struggle than you can possibly imagine._

_Please know that I have not abandoned you in this struggle. When you need me the most, I will be there for you._

_With a devotion that never dies, I am now and always your father, your brother, and your dearest friend,_

_Godric_

"That's all there is," said Bill. He folded the letter and placed it back in the envelope. The four of them sat in silence, contemplating what the future held for them.

The door opened and Hope walked in. Sookie felt the bile rise in her throat when she saw the fresh puncture wounds on Hope's neck.

"Eric wants to speak with you," Hope said to Sookie. "The rest of us are to wait here until we are summoned."

* * *

"Eric?" Sookie entered the office to find Eric sitting at his desk with his hands steepled in front of his face and his eyes closed. The self-inflicted wounds on his wrist had almost entirely healed in the few moments it took her to get to his office. He looked healthier than when she left the room, but not happier.

"You read Godric's letter?" Eric asked quietly.

"Yes."

"Then you understand why I have to do this."

"I understand, but I don't like it. I know how blood bonds work, Eric! It's only a matter of time before I'm yesterday's news and you're telling Hope how much you love her. I know you've got bigger fish to fry right now, but I'm not going to pretend that this doesn't hurt like hell."

Eric opened his eyes and looked up at Sookie. He shook his head and gave a short, sad laugh. "You've got this so wrong, lover. I wish you could read my mind so you could see how backwards you are on this."

"Pardon me?"

"Would we be together right now if I hadn't manipulated you into drinking my blood, or would you still be in love with Bill Compton?"

"This has nothing to do with Bill," Sookie argued. "Bill was unfaithful to me with Lorena. He didn't come to rescue me when I was being held by the Fellowship of the Sun. You did. And worst of all, the only reason he had a relationship with me at all was because the Queen ordered him to. Bill Compton dug his own grave, if you'll pardon the expression."

Eric stood up and braced his hands on his desk. "I never realized how much power a blood bond gave a vampire over a human until this moment. Bill was unfaithful to you with Lorena because I set it up. The same goes for the rescue at the Fellowship. And you don't really believe that he rose in broad daylight to protect you on the orders of Sophie-Anne, do you?" Eric began to pace. "The worst part is, you know all of this to be true, but the blood wants what it wants. It compels you to find reasons to reject Bill and cling to me. Bill rescued you from being tortured by the fairies, not me. And yet you forgave me. Doesn't that strike you as odd?"

Sookie had no answer for his question. Her mind refused to even consider the issue. "Do you want me to go back to Bill? Because that's sure what this sounds like to me."

Eric crossed the room in a heartbeat and took Sookie in his arms. "No. That is _not_ what I want. That's the fear that keeps me awake in my coffin all day. I love you. I have always loved you. Before a single drop of blood ever passed between us, I loved you. I love you so much that for a moment I actually considered burning Godric's letter and taking you far away from here."

Sookie took his face in her hands and peppered it with tiny kisses. "Oh Eric, you couldn't. I couldn't. So many people—"

He interrupted her protest with a deep, soulful kiss.

"I know," he said. "I intend to follow Godric's orders. I can only hope that when our blood bond fades, and if I live through this, that you will still love me when it's all over."

Sookie nodded resolutely. "And when this is over, and I do love you, you'll know that I love you truly, and not because of the bond."

Eric smiled broadly. "And that will be the happiest moment I've had in a thousand years."

Through what remained of their bond, his joy at the thought of that future moment washed over her like a wave. She took the Viking warrior's hands in her own, smiled up at him, and said, "Let me be the first to congratulate the new King of Dixie."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"We should call in the others," said Sookie, opening the door to Eric's office. He placed his palm against the door and shut it again.

"We're not talking to anyone until we settle this between us. I don't care if it takes all night. Your mind is still uneasy. I can feel it."

"Well of course it is!" Sookie threw up her hands in frustration. "Let's see if I understand the situation correctly: The legion of doom is coming to Bon Temps and the only way to stop them is to end my blood bond with you so you can start a blood bond with another woman so she can keep her vampire super powers and make you king. I get it! I really get it! You'll have to excuse me if I'm not as comfortable with it as you seem to be!"

"I am not 'comfortable with it'."

"Bullshit. You love the idea of being king."

"I do," Eric conceded. "But I love you more."

"Then why are we doing this?" Sookie demanded. "There has to be another way."

"Sookie, I've been trying to think of a way around this ever since I read Godric's letter. If Godric had had other children, this would be easy, but he didn't. If I could appeal to Godric's maker, this would be easy, but that's impossible."

"Because he's dead," said Sookie, completing Eric's thought. She blinked with astonishment when Eric shook his head. ""Wait, you're telling me Godric's maker is still alive?"

"Yes, as far as I know." Eric answered uneasily. "But he hasn't been seen in nine hundred years, and even if I could find him, he would not help me."

"Why not?"

Eric drew a deep breath. Not because he needed to, but because he was frustrated and some human habits die hard. Even in one thousand year old vampires. "Godric and his maker had a falling out over me. Besides," he said, changing the subject, "you were never in favor of our blood bond. As I recall your emotions on the subject have ranged from furious, to resigned, and on a really good day, you're ambivalent about it."

_Score one for the Swede._

Sookie couldn't deny the truth in what he said. There were times when she thrilled in the bond between them. The feeling that he was always close, and that he always understood her was an amazing intimacy. And blood bonded sex? Whoa, Nelly!

But other times the bond was intrusive. She could be having a perfectly cheerful evening, only to be overwhelmed with anger or anxiety for no apparent reason – Eric's anger and anxiety. And he'd sure been having a lot of it lately. Truth be told, sometimes the bond made her feel trapped. Eric didn't know it, but she'd even looked into having Octavia find a way to break their blood bond. She wasn't sure if she would actually do it, but it would be nice to have the option.

Eric sat down on the couch and pulled her into his lap. He pushed her hair back and whispered into her ear. "You could choose to look at this as an opportunity to explore your true feelings for me, without supernatural interference."

Sookie laid her head on his shoulder and took in his words along with the emotions he felt when he spoke them. _Fear?_ She'd felt anxiety, anger, joy, happiness, amusement and lust (lots of lust) from him before, but fear was entirely new.

"Eric," she proceeded carefully, "breaking our bond isn't what bothers me. I'm upset about you making a bond with another woman."

Eric nodded his head in agreement. "That's reasonable. I would feel the same way if the situation was reversed. But this isn't the same kind of blood bond. This is…business."

"I know. So you keep saying," said Sookie. "But it's been my experience that swapping blood with vampires always leads to sex."

"Your experience is somewhat limited."

"Really?" Sookie leaned back and looked him square in the eye. "Have you _ever_ established a blood bond that didn't lead to sex?"

A darkness came over Eric. Quietly, he answered, "Yes."

Sookie could sense that she had ventured into dangerous territory. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, but I will." He set her gently aside on the sofa and stood up. He walked over to his office window and looked out over the deserted parking lot. The horizon was just beginning to show the faintest hint of pink. "It was during the first Slaugh war. I was taken captive. I don't know why they didn't kill me outright. Perhaps they thought I would make a good Slaugh and wanted to turn me. I don't know. Anyway, they tortured me. I'm not going to go into details, but suffice to say, what the fairies did to you was just foreplay to the Slaugh.

"I don't know how long it went on – days, maybe a week. Godric and another one of the seven brethren came to rescue me. You've never seen anyone fight the way they fought. They had broad swords – double edged – silver on one side and iron on the other. Long story short, they got me out, but I was on the brink of final death.

"Godric was bleeding from probably a dozen wounds he received in the fight, and he put my mouth on every one of them. He would have let me drain him if Mian hadn't pulled me off of him. I drank from Godric and my physical wounds healed immediately. Unfortunately, I was barking mad.

"Godric went to ground for two days to heal, and when he rose on the third night he fed from me, and then gave the blood back. He did this every day. His dedication was remarkable when you consider that I tried to murder him every time he came near me. The blood bond was established and our psyches were linked. It took almost two years, but he pulled my mind out of madness. Once I was well, we allowed to bond to fade. You have to believe me. There was nothing sexual about it."

Sookie joined him at the window and wrapped her arms around his waist. She blinked back tears. "Oh my god, Eric. That's horrible, and now you have to face them again."

He shrugged. "It was nine hundred years ago. I'm over it. I didn't tell you this story so you would feel sorry for me. I told you so you could see that not all blood bonds are sexual."

"I appreciate that. Really, I do. But this is a totally different situation than you and Godric. You're healthy, and she's…healthy."

"She's not you." Eric kissed Sookie on the nose. "The situation is different, but the principle is the same. A blood bond connects two people's psyches. Nothing more. Nothing less. You can sense where a person is. You can sense how they feel. You feel better when you're around them, but that doesn't necessarily mean that you want to have sex with them." A look of hungry delight came over his face. "Granted, it always seems to mean that with _our_ bond."

Through their bond, Sookie could feel that he was ready to go again, and suddenly, she was too. She shook it off and gave him a playful punch in the arm. "Stop that! My stars, we could be talking about anything and you can turn it into sex! We're having a serious conversation here."

"So I'd rather talk about sex than torture and madness. Sue me." He smiled kindly. "What else would you like to know?"

"And what are your thoughts when you're swapping blood with Hope?"

"Not sex, that's for sure. You're just going to have to trust me about that." He looked off, deep in thought. "I not sure I really think about anything in particular. The first time I made her feed from me I felt pissed off about everything. I was pissed because the Slaugh were returning, because Godric has set up this ridiculous situation with his daywalker, and because she broke my nose. Tonight, I felt…" He pressed his lips firmly shut.

"Felt what?" Sookie laid her hand gently on his face.

"Afraid."

Sookie had to make a concerted effort to keep her jaw from dropping. From Eric, that was a stunning admission. She pressed him gently, "Afraid of what?"

Eric stared at the floor. Then the ceiling. Everywhere except at Sookie. "I was afraid that you would be so angry that you would stake me in my sleep," he said with an ironic laugh. All of the humor went out of his voice. "But mostly I'm afraid because when our bond breaks, I know I'm going to lose you."

Sookie opened her mouth to protest, but he stopped her with a gesture. "Let's be honest. I can be a real dick sometimes, and you don't even know the half of it. You overlook a lot now. You're not going to overlook things anymore without the blood bond."

Sookie's first instinct was to reassure him that she would love him with or without the bond, but then she stopped. He was a giant dick when he pulled the bullet sucking stunt. And then there was the fact that she probably really didn't know the half of it consider. Yes, Eric was correct; he could be a real dick sometimes. Still, beneath the occasionally dickish veneer, she knew without a doubt that he had a noble soul.

"There's another option that you apparently haven't considered," said Sookie.

"Oh?" Eric raised a questioning eyebrow.

"You could stop being a dick."

Eric threw his head back and roared with laughter. "I don't know, lover. A thousand year old habit could be hard to break."

"Try."

"For you, anything." He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. He lingered there, increasing the intensity of the kiss when Sookie weaved her fingers through his hair. After a moment, he pulled back and smiled down at her sadly. "You're still bothered by something."

"Nothing gets by you," said Sookie. "It's not important."

"Tell me."

Sookie took a deep breath. "It's not that I don't trust you. You said that the blood swap with Hope isn't sexy, and I choose to believe you. I just don't understand why you asked me to leave if it's no big deal."

"Yeah, that was one of those 'damned if I do, damned if I don't' situations," said Eric. "I thought it would be painful for you to watch, and I know it would have been uncomfortable for me to have you watch."

"You could have asked me." He didn't answer, but through the bond she felt that he was clearly unwilling to ask such a question in front of others. He told people what to do. He didn't ask them what they wanted to do. "Ok, never mind. Next time I'm staying."

"I don't have a problem with that," said Eric.

"Good."

"So, this is resolved?" he asked.

"As resolved as it can be. Should we call the others up now?" Sookie yawned. "It's really getting late."

"No, it will be dawn soon. We'll go down to them," said Eric.

When they got to Pam's private lounge, they found Hope asleep with her head resting on a pillow that laid on Bill's lap. Sam had left. Bill and Pam were engaged in quiet conversation.

"It appears that our diurnal friends have checked out for the evening," said Eric.

Bill tapped his watch. "Your nocturnal guests need to turn in as well. I'm never going to get to Bon Temps before dawn. Do you still keep an extra coffin here?"

"I'll do you one better," said Pam. "That's a sleeper sofa and the room is light tight. You're welcome to it." Pam tapped her chin. "I wonder how Hope will like waking up wrapped around a dead man?"

"Wouldn't be the first time," said Sookie. It came out sounding cattier than she intended. Or maybe it didn't.

"I'll take the chair," said Bill, giving Pam and Sookie a mildly reproachful look. "Sookie and Hope can have the bed. Sookie shouldn't drive tired."

"Now there's a lovely thought," Pam purred. She wasn't talking about Bill's sense of chivalry.

Sookie looked at Pam and decided that the best response was no response at all. She turned to Bill. "That's very gentlemanly of you, but you don't have to sleep in the chair. I'll crash on the couch in Eric's office."

"As you wish," said Bill. He started to wake up Hope so he could set up the bed, but Pam held up a finger, indicating that he should wait. She left the room and returned a few seconds later with the "I could have staked you, but I didn't" sign that Hope has pinned to her blouse two days ago. She looked at Eric and Bill, "It's just too good to pass up."

Even Bill had to admit there was a certain poetic justice in the act.

Pam placed the sign on Hope's chest, and just as she went to pin it, her wrist was caught in a lightning fast, iron grip worthy of a vampire. Hope gave Pam a tired smile. "Good plan. Lousy execution."

* * *

_Author's note: I'm going to be honest. I hadn't planned to write this chapter. This is the first time I have ever added a chapter to a fic in response to reviews. A lot of people have expressed really strong opinions regarding Sookie's feelings about the bond with Eric, and I can see where everyone is coming from._

_My take from the books, particularly Dead in the Family, is that Sookie is conflicted about this blood bond. She didn't ask for it, she didn't want it, but now she's got it, and there are times when she loves it and times…well, not so much. I hope this chapter clarifies things a bit. To paraphrase Eric in this chapter, we could choose to look at this as an opportunity to explore Sookie's true feelings for Eric, without supernatural interference. _

_I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy writing it. Thanks for the feedback!_


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Sookie washed her face and brushed her hair in the small bathroom in Eric's office. There was a shower and fresh towels, but there didn't seem to be much point in taking a shower when she didn't have anything to wear except the clothes she'd slept in. It was well past noon and she didn't have to work at Merlotte's that night so she figured she had about eight hours to drive home, get cleaned up and fed, and take care of some chores before returning to Fangtasia by sunset.

She was determined to get back to the club before Eric woke up so he couldn't spend one unsupervised moment with Hope. Eric told her that his blood exchange with Hope wasn't sexy, and Sookie told him she believed him. And she did believe him – sort of. She believed that _he_ believed the new bond wasn't sexy. She also believed that deep down inside, Eric was still a man, and that when it came to women, men were stupid.

She smoothed out her clothes as best she good and then grabbed her purse. There was only one more thing to do and she could be on her way. She went into Eric's file cabinet to get the spare key that he kept in an unmarked manila envelope filed under "S" for "spare key". (Eric believed in the K.I.S.S. system of business filing – Keep It Simple, Stupid.) The envelope was there. The key, however, was not.

_Shit!_

There were three vampires sleeping at the club, so she couldn't very well leave without locking the door behind her. Sookie rapidly clicked through her mental list of potential key-carrying saviors: the cleaning crew had already come and gone, Eric hadn't yet found a trusty day person to replace Bobby, and the human staff wouldn't arrive for their shift until five o'clock.

Wait. Hope was here. Hope could lock the door behind her. Sookie punched the security code into the cellar door lock and bounded down the stairs to Pam's private love lounge. She didn't take any pains to be quiet. The vampires could (and actually once did) sleep through a bomb, and waking up Hope was really the point anyway.

She knocked on the door. "Hope?"

No answer.

She knocked again.

Still no answer.

She opened the door, and in the dim red glow of the security lighting that filtered in from the hall, she could see Bill Compton resting in peace. Alone.

So that's where the key went! Sookie stomped up the stairs, cursing Hope every step of the way. The sneaky brunette, blood-sucking, bond-stealing trespasser was out and about enjoying her day while Sookie was stuck in a closed down vampire bar with nothing to eat for breakfast but soda pop and cocktail olives.

Sookie flopped into Eric's "Master of His Domain" throne in the middle of the bar and settled in for a good sulk. That was entertaining for about five minutes.

Then she thought she'd give the dancer's pole a whirl. After about half a dozen attempts she thanked her lucky stars that she didn't have an audience, proclaimed pole dancing harder than it looked, and came away from the entire experience with a new-found, grudging respect for Eric's dancers.

That passed another ten minutes.

She settled back into Eric's chair and listened to the symphony that was her stomach growling.

Those cocktail olives were starting to look good.

Sookie had worked herself up into a good froth of self-righteous anger when she heard a key turning in the lock of the club door. She reached out with her mind and confirmed that it was Hope, who felt just as easy breezy as you please, at least in comparison to the storm clouds that had formed in Sookie's mind. Sookie stood with her hands on her hips and waited for Hope to come through the door.

"I have a bone to pick with you."

To Sookie's immense irritation, Hope laughed. "I figured you would. Can I put all this stuff down first?" Hope had a cup-carrier with two Starbucks cups in it and a sack of something that smelled wonderful. She put them on the table and then unloaded the interesting collection of items that were slung across her back. There were two swords in ancient looking scabbards, a quiver of arrows, and an enormous modern hard plastic case, similar to one that a musical instrument would be packed in.

"What are those?" Sookie asked.

"Beignets and café au lait," Hope answered. She opened the plastic case and took out a very high tech bow. In one graceful motion, Hope pulled back on the bowstring and sited an imaginary target. Satisfied with the condition of the bow, she placed it back in the case with almost loving care and smiled at Sookie. "And weapons."

"Oh." Sookie studied the arsenal Hope had lugged in. Sharp objects changed the balance of power at the table somewhat. The scent of the beignets worked its magic on her senses and she peered into the sack. There had to be twenty doughnuts in there. "Are you expecting company?"

"No," said Hope, taking a seat at the table and sipping her coffee. "Moving at the speed of vamp burns a ton of calories. I have to eat a lot to keep weight on."

Great, one more reason to hate her. Sookie smiled the most insincere smile of her entire life, and when you considered that she was a telepath who worked in a bar, that was really saying something. "Thanks," she said, biting viciously into a beignet. Powdered sugar dusted her dress. This was not turning out to be a very good morning.

"So, what's on your mind?" asked Hope.

"I don't like this blood swapping between you and Eric," Sookie stated plainly.

"I didn't expect that you would," said Hope. "I'm not terribly fond of it myself."

"So then stop doing it. Find another vampire to suck on."

Hope got a real chuckle out of that. "If Godric had another child to 'suck on', I would certainly do you that courtesy, but he doesn't, so I guess we all have to live with this arrangement for the time being."

"No, we don't. You could bond with Godric's maker." Sookie gave Hope a look that said, _Ha! You didn't think I knew about that, did you?_

Hope abruptly lost her sense of humor. "That would be ill-advised."

"Oh, I don't think so," said Sookie, taking another bite of her doughnut. "I was thinking about it, and the way I see it, finding Godric's maker and bringing him here would kill two birds with one stone."

"No, having Finlo here would only kill one bird with one stone, and that bird would be Eric. Trust me, if you love Eric – and I think you do – having me 'suck on him' is your better option."

"Why would Godric's maker want to kill Eric? I know Godric and his maker had a falling out over Eric, but that was nine hundred years ago." Sookie gestured with her beignet for emphasis, "If this Finlo really wanted to kill Eric, wouldn't he have done it already?"

"No," said Hope. "Godric's offense almost destroyed Finlo and may have cost three of the seven brethren their lives. You've seen vampire justice. You know what the penalty for such an offense is."

"The stake," said Sookie.

"Exactly." Hope continued, "But Finlo loved Godric, despite what he'd done, and didn't want to lose a fourth child, so he spared Godric, but with the promise that one of Godric's children would pay the price for Godric's crime after Godric went to his final death."

"Eric is Godric's only child," Sookie said, more to herself than to Hope. There was a long pause where Hope didn't breathe, and then Sookie was awash with the other woman's emotions. A sense of sudden understanding and overwhelming sadness were rolling off Hope like waves. Sookie eyed her cautiously. "Are you alright?"

"Eric is the only vampire Godric ever created," said Hope.

"Yes, that's what I just said."

"No, it isn't," said Hope. "Not exactly."

"Just wait," Sookie waved her hands as if to erase the conversation. "None of this makes sense. Why would Godric kill himself if he knew his maker would kill Eric?"

Hope nodded. "I'd wondered the same thing, and it didn't make any sense to me at all until just now. Do you remember what Godric said in his letter to Eric? That he had to pass on to another realm to give Eric the tools he needed to face the Slaugh?"

"Yes, I remember," said Sookie.

"What if Finlo is the tool Eric needs? It all makes sense. Godric knew that Finlo would sense his death and eventually go to Eric. Finlo is the father of _all _vampires. He can call every vampire in existence to Bon Temps if he wants to. He can declare Eric king, and every vampire will have to swear fealty."

Sookie dropped back in her seat and stared blankly at Hope. This was a lot of information to process. Then, a thought occurred to her. "How will Finlo make Eric king if he kills him? Why won't Finlo just declare himself king?"

Hope shrugged. "If Finlo wished to rule, he would already be the king of all vampires. Perhaps a better question right now is, if Finlo can make Eric king with a word, why am I here?"

Sookie's eyes narrowed. "I don't really think that's a better question than 'why won't he kill Eric', but I'll bite. Why are you here?"

Hope folded her hands in front of her face and sat silently for a moment. "I thought Godric sent me to protect Eric and his vampires from Finlo, but after reading the letter…" She leaned her head back and blinked to avoid shedding tears. "The blood, the blood, the blood. Every day the blood. His blood. Godric's blood. And now his blood through Eric. The insistence on the bond. The swords…"

"These swords?" Sookie gestured to the two ancient swords on the table. "What about them?"

Hope unsheathed the larger of the two swords. Its wide blade gleamed even in the club's artificial lighting. It was made from two metals – iron and silver – that met in an intricate pattern down the center of the blade. The handle was inlaid with gold. Sookie could see that the sword was enormously heavy without picking it up.

"On the night of their making, each of Finlo's children was given a sword. This is the Seventh Sword," said Hope. It belonged to Udaan, Finlo's seventh child. Udaan fell in the first Slaugh war. He didn't create any children of his own, so Godric was able to obtain this sword for Eric."

Hope unsheathed the second sword. It was shorter and lighter than the first, and as plain as the other sword was ornate. Hope wrapped her fingers around the hilt and took a few experienced strokes. "This is the First Sword – Godric's sword. This sword, he left to me."

Sookie examined the two swords. Eric's was certainly more impressive, but she couldn't help but think that Eric would much rather have Godric's sword. She would not have believed that Godric would leave his sword to anyone except Eric, but a quick glimpse into Hope's mind confirmed that every word she'd spoken was the truth. Sookie posed her next question carefully. "Why did Godric leave his sword to you? Was it because of the size difference?"

"You know, that's what I thought when Godric first told me who was to get what. The big, pretty sword for the big pretty Viking, and the little plain sword, for little plain me. But now, I think he had something else in mind." Hope shook her head sadly. "These swords are not so much instruments of war as they are symbols of authority. Seven brothers, seven swords, seven bloodlines. When Godric left me this sword, it could be argued that he made me the ruler of his bloodline. You know better than anyone how serious vampires are about the rituals of exchanging blades."

Sookie couldn't argue with that. She had unknowingly handed a knife to Eric, and now the entire vampire world considered her his wife. Lord only knew what kind of commitment a whole giant sword would entail. Still, she had a pretty good idea how Eric would react to the news that Godric named Hope as the ruler of his bloodline, which is to say, the ruler of Eric.

"Eric will _never_ stand for this."

"Yes, he will," said Hope. Her tone was flat and resigned. "Don't you see, Sookie? Godric didn't send me here to fight for Eric, and he certainly didn't send me here to rule over Eric. He sent me here to die in Eric's place."

Sookie gasped. "But you're not a vampire! Are you even…_eligible_…to stand in Eric's place?"

"That remains to be seen. It's true, I'm still human, for the most part. But the blood that flows through my veins is almost the oldest vampire blood on earth. Godric always thought it was crucial that I carry the blood, but not turn. Perhaps we'll learn why before…"

The image Sookie pulled from Hope's head was gruesome. "But I thought Godric loved you!"

"He did." Hope managed a small smile. "He just loved Eric more." She wiped a tear from her cheek, and stood up. Now composed, she spoke to Sookie. "Here's the key to the club. I need to get out of here and think things over. Will you lock these things in Eric's office for me, please?"

"Sure," Sookie answered, still shell-shocked from the events of the conversation. "Are you going to be alright?"

"Probably not," Hope answered with an ironic laugh.

"Before you go, can you tell me one thing?" said Sookie. "What was Godric's crime?"

Hope smiled sadly. "During the first war, Finlo and Eric were both captured by the Slaugh. When Godric had to choose who he would try to rescue first, he chose Eric."

Sookie watched silently as Hope left the bar. She slumped in her chair and absently bit into a beignet. "Jesus Christ, Shepherd of Judea. What a mess."

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_True story. You know you've been spending too much time writing SVM fic when you see a Red Cross Blood Drive van, and your first thought is "meals on wheels". Enjoy the new chapter._


End file.
